"We were devastated and shocked to learn that Nathan, Jennifer and her children have been missing since leaving from Puerto Rico on Monday. Nathan is our beloved son, brother and uncle and we wish for resolution as the Coast Guard search continues. Our prayers and thoughts are with the Blumin family and James Ramsey in this difficult time.

"We appreciate the respect for our privacy as we deal with the situation together with our family and prefer no further press contact. We appreciate the kind wishes and thoughts of those who have reached out to us."

The Coast Guard said it believes the debris is from the missing plane flown by Ulrich.

"Some of the helicopters that found the debris field yesterday, they were able to recover some components from the debris that we sent to the aircraft mechanic who confirmed they are from the same type of airplane as the missing airplane," Eric Woodall from the USCG said.